Chapter 6: The Transformation
The humid air of the Shivaji Park maidan hung heavy, thick with the smell of wet earth and exhaust fumes. The rhythmic thud of heavy boots hitting the pitch and the sound of ragged breathing echoed in the early morning silence. Aryan was running sprints between the wickets, his chest heaving, pushing his body to its absolute limit.
"Ding."
[Host has completed the daily task.]
He finally ground to a halt near the popping crease, leaning heavily on his bat as he tried to catch his breath, his lungs burning with exertion. After a few seconds, he managed to stabilize his breathing, wiping the sweat from his eyes. He looked up at the empty sky, and the familiar translucent blue screen materialized before him.
[PLAYER INFO]
NAME: ARYAN SHARMA
AGE: 14 (1 MONTH TO 15)
HEIGHT: 1.78m (5'10")
PROFESSION: CRICKETER
STATUS: ACADEMY PLAYER
SYSTEM EVALUATION: A somewhat decent youth player
PLAYER RATING: 57/100
POSITION: Fast-Bowling All-Rounder
POTENTIAL: 80
LEGEND POINTS (LP): 3500
STAT POINTS: 44
[STATS]
[Running Speed]: 67
[Sprint Speed]: 69
[Agility]: 58
[Balance]: 56
[Reflexes]: 49
[Reaction]: 49
[Stamina]: 65
[Wrist Strength]: 43
[Footwork]: 53
[Vision]: 64
[Ball Control (Fielding)]: 60
[Bowling Accuracy]: 60
[Timing]: 65
[Power Hitting]: 50
[Defensive Technique]: 55
[Shot Selection]: 50
[Bowling Speed]: 67
[Swing/Seam]: 45
[Weak Zone Proficiency]: 3 stars
[Shot Creativity]: 4 stars
[SKILLS POSSESSED]
Cover Drive: 85% Completion
[SYSTEM LEVEL]: 1 (1000 LP TO LV 2)
[STAT POINTS]: 35 (+9)
Aryan stared intently at his personal information, a surge of pride swelling in his chest as he looked at the Legend Points (LP) and the stat points he had accumulated over the past two weeks of grueling training. During the first week, he had discovered a hidden mechanic: the System rewarded extra effort put into training while the "Starter Pack" or "Beginner Bonus" was active. However, after that first week when the starter pack expired, the System no longer handed out extra LP or stat points for bonus drills, forcing him to rely on standard progression.
"Now, let's distribute the stat points first," Aryan said, a grin spreading across his face as he sat on the heavy roller parked near the boundary.
He tapped the screen. Aryan added 3 stat points to Running Speed, ensuring he could turn ones into twos, before adding 1 to Sprint Speed to help his bowling run-up. He then added 3 stat points each to Agility, Reflexes, Reaction, and Footwork. Aryan nodded, satisfied with the foundational athletic upgrades, and smiled.
He continued, his fingers moving deftly over the holographic interface. He added 4 stat points to Balance, 5 to Power Hitting for clearing the boundary ropes, 5 to Swing/Seam for his bowling, and 4 to Wrist Strength, which Aryan deemed crucial if he was in a situation where he needed to manipulate the field or play lofted shots over the infield.
Aryan paused. He saw that he was still left with ten points but hesitated, unsure where they would be most effective.
[System recommends Host add the remaining points to Defensive Technique,] Max, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly spoke up in his mind.
Aryan blinked, then remembered how average his defensive stats were; to survive in long-format games or stabilize a collapsing innings, a solid defense was non-negotiable. He quickly added the remaining points to Defensive Technique.
After this, the stat points were gone. Aryan couldn't help but feel a profound sense of accomplishment as he looked at his updated stats displayed on the screen.
[PLAYER INFO]
NAME: ARYAN SHARMA
AGE: 14 (1 MONTH TO 15)
HEIGHT: 1.78m (5'10")
PROFESSION: CRICKETER
STATUS: YOUTH PROSPECT
SYSTEM EVALUATION: Youth Prospect
PLAYER RATING: 62/100
POSITION: Fast-Bowling All-Rounder
POTENTIAL: 87
LEGEND POINTS: 3500
STAT POINTS: 0
[STATS]
[Running Speed]: 70 (+3)
[Sprint Speed]: 70 (+1)
[Agility]: 61 (+3)
[Balance]: 60 (+4)
[Reflexes]: 52 (+3)
[Reaction]: 52 (+3)
[Stamina]: 65
[Wrist Strength]: 47 (+4)
[Footwork]: 56 (+3)
[Vision]: 64
[Ball Control (Fielding)]: 60
[Bowling Accuracy]: 60
[Timing]: 65
[Power Hitting]: 60 (+5)
[Defensive Technique]: 60 (+10)
[Shot Selection]: 55
[Bowling Speed]: 67
[Swing/Seam]: 50 (+5)
[Weak Zone Proficiency]: 3 stars
[Shot Creativity]: 4 stars
[SKILLS POSSESSED]
Cover Drive: 85% Completion
After Aryan finished distributing the stat points, he felt a warm, electric wave course through his body, making him feel instantly refreshed and stronger, as if his muscles were knitting themselves into a more efficient form. He also noticed that the System's evaluation of him had now changed from "Decent Youth Player" to "Youth Prospect."
Aryan was about to ask about upgrading his System level when the sharp sound of a car horn pierced the morning air. He looked toward the road; his mother, Priya, had arrived in their hatchback to pick him up from the maidan.
He once again quickly packed his kit bag, slinging the heavy strap over his shoulder, and raced towards the car. He got in, the air conditioning providing instant relief from the Mumbai humidity. After a brief chat with his mom about the weather and traffic, the ride home became quiet, Aryan lost in thoughts of his progress.
Back home, Aryan stepped out of the shower with a towel draped over his head. While drying himself, he paused in front of the mirror. He looked at his body and noticed his well-shaped muscles and defined quadriceps, the physical evidence of the intense drills and conditioning.
He felt a surge of happiness; the suffering and the early mornings had not been in vain. The past few weeks had just been a monotonous loop of drills, running, and nets, and now he was itching to try out his newly found prowess against real opponents in the upcoming selection match.
He sat on his bed, cross-legged, and then called out mentally, "Max."
[Yes, Aryan,] the System replied instantly.
"Are there going to be any implications of me upgrading the System?" Aryan asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
[Well, the System goes offline for 10 hours when updating, but aside from that, there is no other implication,] the System replied calmly.
Aryan was a bit annoyed that the System would go offline for 10 whole hours. This annoyance stemmed from a deep-seated fear that the System might not come online again, leaving him back at square one, just a mediocre boy with a dream.
"Well, I guess I have to wait a bit then," Aryan sighed, resigning himself to the wait. He then commanded the System to update itself.
System update initiated.
Going offline in...
3, 2, 1... fwish.
Aryan stared blankly at the empty air where the blue screen usually hovered, calling out to the System, to which there was no response.
Feeling a sudden void, he went downstairs and got some cold milk from the fridge. He wandered back upstairs, pacing around his room, not knowing what to do to pass the time since it was only 6:45 in the evening.
He went downstairs once again, intending to watch some TV or catch the IPL highlights, but he saw his sister, Riya, and his mother playing Uno on the floor. He decided to join them.
The distraction helped. They played for an hour, laughing and arguing over Draw-4 cards, until Aryan finally decided to head to bed. He fell onto his mattress, exhausted, and tried to sleep, but his mind was racing.
Aryan felt nervous about tomorrow's practice.
Thoughts plagued him: What if I mess up tomorrow? What if the stats don't translate to the field?
After a while, he forced himself to calm down. He thought about the System and the sheer volume of training he had done over the past few weeks; surely, he would not flop.
He laid down once again, and this time, the fatigue he had accumulated during the day finally caught up to him. He yawned deeply before closing his eyes. Priya opened the door a while after Aryan had slept, staring lovingly at her hardworking son for a moment before she, too, headed to bed.
Aryan woke up around 6:00 AM the next day. He decided to do some yoga routines, specifically Surya Namaskar, which had been recommended by the System a while back to improve flexibility.
After the routine, feeling limber, he went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. After drying off, he dressed in his academy tracksuit before putting on his slides.
He meticulously checked his kit bag, ensuring he had packed everything—pads, helmet, gloves, thigh guard—needed for training. Aryan was not usually this meticulous when packing, but he was nervous about today's training session. He needed to do something with his hands to occupy his mind for a while.
After Aryan was done, he sat down on the edge of his bed. He suddenly remembered the time frame; the System upgrade should be done by now.
"Max," Aryan called out in his mind.
After a brief pause, the System replied.
"Ding."
[Update has been successfully completed. Loading new interface.]
The blue screen appeared once again, although this time the resolution looked sharper, the text crisper, and the layout more organized, like jumping from a 720p broadcast to 4K.
[PLAYER INFO]
NAME: ARYAN SHARMA
AGE: 14 (5 MONTHS TO 15)
HEIGHT: 1.78m (5'10")
PROFESSION: CRICKETER
STATUS: YOUTH PROSPECT
SYSTEM EVALUATION: Youth Prospect
PLAYER RATING: 62/100
POSITION: Fast-Bowling All-Rounder
POTENTIAL: 87
LEGEND POINTS: 2500
STAT POINTS: 0
[STATS]
Athleticism: 70
Body Control: 57
Spatial Awareness: 60
Technique: 63
Batting: 59
Bowling: 60
Physical Strength: 62
Weak Zone Proficiency: 3 stars / 5 stars
Description: Shows the effectiveness of playing shots in uncomfortable areas or bowling on the weak side.
Shot Creativity: 4 stars / 5 stars
Description: Makes the learning of unorthodox shots easier. The higher the number of stars, the easier it is to execute skills like the Scoop or Switch Hit.
[SKILLS POSSESSED]
Cover Drive: 85% Completion
[SYSTEM SHOP]
Skills
Conditioning Elixirs
Recovery Fluids
Aryan scanned the new interface and his eyes immediately locked onto the System Shop.
[If Host wants to see his detailed attributes, he must select which category that specific attribute belongs to,] the System explained.
Aryan nodded, but his focus was elsewhere. He quickly navigated to the Skill tab in the shop and pressed on it.
[SKILL SHOP]
Dilscoop: 2500 LP
Condition: (5-star Shot Creativity) NOT MET
Helicopter Shot: 1500 LP
Switch Hit: 1000 LP
Reverse Sweep: 2000 LP
Condition: (5-star Shot Creativity) NOT MET
"System, if I purchase the skill, do I still need to learn it manually?" Aryan asked, thinking that his LP points would be wasted if he could just watch a tutorial on YouTube and learn it for free.
[Negative. Host just needs to master how to use the skill and which situations to use them.]
[Basically, Host still needs to practice in the nets to increase Skill Completion, which in turn increases skill efficiency and execution percentage in a match.]
"Oh, okay," Aryan said while nodding. "Purchase Helicopter Shot and Switch Hit," Aryan commanded, since those were the only ones he could afford with his current balance.
"Ding."
[2 new skills added.] the System informed.
[SKILLS POSSESSED]
Cover Drive: 85% Completion
Helicopter Shot: 50% Completion
Switch Hit: 70% Completion
Aryan frowned slightly and asked the System why the Switch Hit had a higher completion rate than the Helicopter Shot immediately after purchase.
[From the Host's memory, it is recognized that the Host understands the mechanics of the Switch Hit a bit better, and this influenced the completion rate,] the System explained.
"Oh, okay," Aryan said.
Just as Aryan was about to ask another question about the shop mechanics, his mother's voice drifted up from downstairs, asking if he was ready to go.
He quickly closed the System window, grabbed his kit bag, and headed downstairs.